Police shut banks due to poor security arrangements

Rawalpindi, Aug 26 (Online): The Rawalpindi police have closed down several banks in the city due to inadequate security measurements besides issuing directives to the bank management to ensure erection of fences outside their respective banks.

The police have linked the public dealing in the banks to erection of fences. City Police Officer (CPO) Israr Ahmad visited several banks across the city on Friday and directed the bank authorities to suspend public dealing forthwith.

The police accompanying the CPO expelled the bank customers and shut down the gates of the banks. This state of affairs sent a wave of grave concern among the citizens.

The police has taken this step in the perspective of robbery incident which had taken place two days earlier in Alfalah Bank in the jurisdiction of Westridge police as the dacoits had not only looted Rs 20 million but also they had injured two security guards of the bank.

On the other hand the bank authorities condemned the police action and said that the CPO is not entitled to make any interference in the affairs of banks directly. They said the banks are directly under the State Bank of Pakistan and are working under the policy evolved by the State Bank.